Avery Dennison, Indian Institute of Packaging partner to build next-generation packaging leaders

INDIA – Avery Dennison Corporation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) to launch a dedicated Management Development Programme (MDP) aimed at strengthening leadership and technical capabilities across India’s fast-evolving packaging industry.

The MoU was signed at IIP’s Mumbai campus by R. K. Mishra (IRS), Director, IIP & Additional DGFT Mumbai, and Saurabh Agrawal, Vice President and General Manager, Avery Dennison South Asia.

The partnership marks a notable step in industry–academia collaboration, with both organizations positioning the initiative as a response to widening skills gaps created by sustainability pressures, digitalization and rapidly changing consumer behaviour.

Under the agreement, Avery Dennison and IIP will jointly deliver a three-day, in-depth Management Development Program designed specifically for mid-level packaging professionals.

The program will cater to talent working across sectors including food and beverages, home and personal care, wine and spirits, pharmaceuticals, lubricants, agrochemicals, solar, batteries, automobiles and appliances.

The MDP will be delivered across IIP Mumbai and Avery Dennison’s Pune facility, combining classroom-based academic learning with practical, hands-on industry exposure.

Faculty and facilitators will include senior industry leaders, academicians and subject-matter experts from across the packaging value chain. The first cohort, scheduled to commence in March 2026, will comprise 20 high-potential professionals.

According to Avery Dennison, the program is designed to help participants navigate emerging external forces such as AI adoption, sustainability mandates, regulatory compliance and shifting consumer expectations, while equipping them with leadership and strategic decision-making skills.

“This MoU marks a significant milestone for the Indian packaging industry,” said Agrawal. “It is the first time an industry leader has partnered so closely with a respected academic institution to systematically augment packaging talent.”

IIP Director R. K. Mishra said the collaboration aims to elevate capacity building to a new level, with a strong focus on sustainable development and responsible growth.

“The packaging industry is at a critical juncture, where leadership capability must keep pace with innovation, compliance and societal obligations,” he noted.

The initiative comes amid a broader push to professionalize and future-proof India’s packaging workforce.

Recent years have seen increased collaboration between packaging companies, institutes and industry bodies, as brand owners and converters grapple with EPR regulations, recyclability targets and advanced materials.

Global players including converters, material suppliers and machinery manufacturers have also expanded training and knowledge-sharing programs in India to support localization and skill development.

For Avery Dennison, the MoU reinforces its long-term commitment to India beyond manufacturing and product innovation, extending into education and ecosystem development. For IIP, the partnership strengthens its role as a bridge between policy, academia and industry.

As India’s packaging sector continues to grow in scale and complexity, initiatives such as this MDP highlight how structured talent development is becoming a strategic priority, not just for companies, but for the competitiveness and sustainability of the industry as a whole.

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